Apparatus for operating on coiled sheet material



June 4, 14940. L. A. YODER l2,202,883

APPARATUS Fon @mamma oN coman SHEET MATERIAL Filed Dec. 15, 1937 4sheets-sheet 1 J ATTORNEY.

BY hn-vm June4, 1940. 2,202,883

APPARATUS Pon OPERATING oN coILED SHEET MATERIAL l.. A.. Yom-:R-

Filed Dec. l5, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l mm.

Pyflvl. X

P LEUNARD ANUDER.

ATTORNEY.

Jime 4,1940. L'. A. YQDER* y 2,202,883

APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ONl COILED SHEET MATERIAL v INVENTOR. LEDNARDA5/DDEE.

M.' www ATTORNEY.

June 4, 1940. L.. A. YODER- 2,202,883

APPARATUS P DRKUPERATING 0N COILED SHEET MATERIAL Filed Dec. yl5, 1937 4Sheets-Sheet. 4

ATTORNEY.

Patented June 4, 1940 PATENT oFF-ICE APPAR'ATUS FOR OPERATING 0N SHEETMATERIAL COILED Leonard A. Yoder, Lakewood, Ohio, assignor to The YoderCompany, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 15.1937, sei-iai No. 17am 1 claim; (ci. 24a-55) This invention relates tolapparatus for operating on sheet material which is handled in vcoilform; that is, the material is supplied to or mounted on the apparatusin wound up or coiled form and'then conducted to and through anoperating mechanism and re-wound or re-coiled, whereupon itis removedfrom the apparatus.

The apparatus herein disclosed has been applied by me to sheet metal,but it is obvious that the apparatus may be used for other kinds ofmaterials.-

One object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus of thistype wherein provision is made for loading or mounting on the apparatusa'coil of material which is to be operated upon and unloading orremoving therefrom' another coil of material which has been finished,during the operation of the apparatus on one coil, whereby both time andlabor are saved.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this typewhich is relatively simple and readily operated. l

Other objects of the invention wili be apparent to those skilled in theart towhich my invention relates from the following description taken inconnection with the` accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a planview of an apparatus embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

. Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are sections on the lines 3 3, 4-4 and 5-5,respectively, of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 'I-"l of' Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is afragmentary section on the line 9-9 '0f Fig. 6.

Fig. 10 is a section yon the line III-I0 of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is afragmentary plan view showing a.

ymodiiied form of construction.

In the drawings, indicates as an entirety a mechanism for loading onecoil of material A and simultaneously uncoiling a separate coil ofmaterial. 2 indicates as an entirety a mechanism for operating on thematerial as it uncolls'from the mechanism l|. 3 indicates a mechanismfor re-coiling the material as it feeds from the operating mechanism 2and supporting the previously re-coiled material and permitting theunloading thereof while the coil of material being operated upon isbeing re-coiled.

Of the mechanism I. 4 indicates a suitable base supporting an uprightshaft 5 on which rotates a head 5, the head resting on' the upper end ofthe base and held thereon by a cap plate 1 suitably bolted to 'the upperend of the shaft 5. By

preference, the base 4 and` shaft 5 are integral,

as will be understood from Fig. 5. 'I'he head 5 is provided with aplurality of hollow, radially extending bosses 8, into each of which isfltted` the 5 inner end of a shaft 9 carrying on its outer end acollapsible drum, indicated as an entirety at I0; I have, in Figs. 1 and2, shown two shafts 9, each carrying a drum, in diametrical relation,but it will be obvious that provision may be made for a larger number ofshafts each carrying a drum,l if desired. For sake of clearness in thedescription the drum in operative position is designated I0 and theother drum is designated I Il. Provision is made for locking the head 6in predeterl5 mined operative positions, wherein each of the drums I0,I0', may be alined with the mechanism 2. By preference I provide aclamping-means and a registering means I2, to secure the head in eachoperative position. The clamping means consists in splitting the wall ofthe head C, as shown at ISfand providing on the wall at opposite sidesof the split I3 devices capable of contracting the wall into engagementwith the shat 5. The clamping devices consist of the following: I4indicates a pair of integral lugs on the Wall of the head 6 at one sideof the split and formed with openings through which extend bolts I5having heads, preferably consisting of nuts I6 threaded on their outerends, arranged to engage the outer sides of the lugs I4. The inner endsof the bolts I5 terminate in collars I1, the innerwalls of which formbearings for eccentrics I8 fixed to a shaft I9, which is rotatablysupported in hollow bosses 20 formed integrally on the wall of the head5 on the-other side the split I3. The shaft I9 is provided with toolengaging means for rotating it and the eccentrics. such rotation servingto draw ther walls of the split I3 together to clamp the head 5 to theshaft. The nuts I6 are preferably adjusted on the bolts I5 so that whenthe throw of the eccentrics I8 is in Iline with the axes of the boltsI5, the head 6 is clamped to the shaft 5 and the eccentrics being ondead center the shaft I9 is held against rotation and release of thehead 5. The registering means I2 consists of 'the following: 2|indicates openingsformed in the lower end of the head 6, eachcorresponding to the operative position of one of the drums III. Eachopening 2| is arranged to receive a plunger 22 when brought intoregistry therewith, the plunger beingslidably supported in an opening 23formed in the olf-set portion of the base I. The plunger 22 is normally'Jrg'ed upwardly into the openings 2| by 55 a coil spring 24 interposedbetween it and a portion of the base 4, such base portion being providedwith an up-standing pin 25 which projects into the lower end of thespring to maintain it in position. The plunger 22 is providedwithoppositely disposed, lateral pins 25, which are engaged by thebifurcations on one vend of a bellcrank 21, the opposite end of which ispivoted to one arm of a foot pedal 28, the bell-crank 21 and pedal 28being suitably fulcrummed on the base 4 (see Figs. 2, 5 and 6). As willbe understood from Fig. 5, application of pressure downwardly on theouter end of the pdal 28, will effect a withdrawal of the plunger 22from the adjacent opening 2|, following which the head 8 may be rotatedto bring theeother drum l into operative position (provided the clampingmeans have been operated to unclamping position). The pedal 28 is fixedto its fulcrum 28, one end of which is extended to support a latch .38.The latch 30 is adjustably fixed to the fulcrum 29 by a set screw 30a(Fig. 4.) The latch 3U is adapted to be engagedandlocked by a shoulderon one arm 3| of a pivoted detent 3| a, the other arm 3|b of whichserves as a foot pedal to release the detent arm 3| from the latch 30,The arm 3| is normally biased into latch locking position by a spring30m. The lower side of the latch 30 adjacent its outer end is beveled orrounded (see dotted lines in Fig. so that .when the pedal 28 is forceddownwardly to withdraw the plunger 22, the latch 38 rides the detent arm3| to permit the shoulder on the outer end of the latter to engage theupper side of the latch, the effect of which is to lock the latch 30against return movement under the influence of the spring 24 and holdthe plunger 22 in retracted position. To release the latch 30, downwardpressure is ap plied to the detent arm or pedal 3|b to release the latch39, whereupon the spring 24 will move the plunger 22 upwardly.

The drums I0. are adapted to receive coils of material A and supportthem while the material of one coil is being un-coiled; that is, onedrum is loaded with a coil of material and then the head 6 is rotated toposition the drum and coil thereon in operative relation to theoperating mechanism 2, as shown at I0 (Figs. 1 and 2); while thematerial of that coil is uncoiling, a separate coil of material isloaded on the other drum |0'; then when the material on drum I8 has beenuncoiled and delivered therefrom, the head 6 is rotated to position thedrum l0' in operative relation to the mechanism 2 and while the materialof the coil thereon is uncoiling a separate coil of material is loadedon the drum I0. For this purpose, each drum comprises a shell 32 formedwith spaced, longitudinally extending openings 33, in each of which amember 34 operates radially. With the members 34 in retracted orcollapsed position, a coil A may be positioned on the shell; the members34 are then operated or expanded radially simultaneously, the effect ofwhich is to engage the inner convolution of the coil A and accordinglysecure the coil to the drum. .The inner end of the shell 32 is providedwith an inturned flange integrally connected to a'ring 35. The ring 35is sweated onto a collar 36 which rotatably supports the inner end ofthe drum on the adjacent shaft 9. The collar 36 is held against theouter end of the adjacent boss 8 by a ring 36a xed'to the shaft 9 by asuitable set screw (see Fig. 2). The collar 36 is preferably integrallyconnected to a disk 31, the marginal Portion of which is provided withan annular wall forming a brake drum 38 for a brake band 39. One end ofthe band 39 is normallyxed, as later set forth, whereas its opposite endis connected to a rod 40, which is adapted to slide endwise in anopening formed on the outer end of a rod 4|, the latter being supportedby a projection 42 formed integrally with the adjacent boss 8. The outerend of the rod 40 is provided with a head 43 (preferably consisting of anut threaded -on the rod and a lock nut 43a therefor), between which andthe rod 4| is provided an expansion spring 44, coiled around the rod andadapted to normally exert tension through the rod 48 on the brake band39 to eect a predetermined frictional engagement with the drum 38,whereby the rotation of the adjacent drum I8 is retarded duringthe'uncoiling of the material therefrom. By adjusting the head 43, thebraking effect of the band 39 on the drumr`38 may be readily inincreasedor decreased. The normally fixed end of the band 39 isreleasablyconnected to the projection 42, whereby the vband may bedisengaged from the drum 38 when it is desired to permit the drum I0 tofreely rotate on its shaft. For this purpose, the end of the band 39remote from the rod 40 terminates in a loop or eye 44',

-which receives a pin 45. The pin 45 is mounted eccentrically on a disk48 fixed to a shaft 41, the latter being mounted in an opening 48 formedin the projection 42. The disk 48 is provided with a handle 49, wherebyit may be rotated, the operation of the handle 49 to the position shownin dotted lines in Fig. 3 serving to move the pin 45 about the axis ofthe disk and thus effect a release of the brake band 39 from its drum38.

The disk 31 is provided with a plurality of radially extending slots 50,one for each expansible element 34. The rear end of each element l34 isprovided with an extension 5|, which extends through the adjacent slotand is provided on the outer side of the disk 31 with wings 34a whichco-operate with the inner end of the member 34 to slidably connect thelatter to the disk for guided movement radially outwardly and inwardly.

The outer end portion of the shell 32 is preferably provided with aconically shaped wall 32a to facilitate loading of the coils of materialthereon and an inwardly extending, annular wall 52, which is concentricto the drum axis and is adapted to slidably mount the outer end of asleeve 53. on the shaft 8 to support the outer end of the drum |8thereon. The outer end of the sleeve 53 is provided with an end wall 54formed with an axial opening in which is xedly mounted a nut 55. A screw56, which is threaded through the nut 55, is connected to a shaft 51rotatably mounted in an opening formed in a cap plate 58, the latterbeing suitably secured to the shell 32 at the outer end of the wall 52.'The outer end of the shaft 51 is shaped to take a suitable tool orcrank (not shown) whereby it may be rotated. The shaft 51 is providedwith collars 59, 59a, disposed on opposite sides of the cap plate 58,and serve to prevent endwise movement of the shaft 51 when rotated,whereby rotation of the shaft 51, through the screw 56 and -nut 55, willeffect endwise movement of the sleeve 53. As the sleeve 53 is connectedby pairs of links 6l to the expandible members 34, and the latter are'guided for movement radially, as already set The sleeve 53 is rotatablymounted i forth, movement of the sleeve 53 endwise in one 75 directionwill move the members 34 outwardly andthe endwlse movement of the sleeve.53m the opposite direction will retract or move'the members 34inwardly. In the arrangementof the links 60.'as' shown in Fig. 2.4endwise movement of the sleeve 53 inwardly serves to expand the members34. l

The mechanism 2 shown herein for illustrative purposes for operating-onthe material A while it is feeding from an uncoiling drum I0 or I0' toare-coiling-drum |01: orl0x' of the mechanism 3, consists of a slittingmechanism which lmay be substantially similar to that shown in theapplication for Letters Patent Ser. No. 12,818, filed March 25, 1935, byQarl M. Yoder, of Lakewood, Ohio, now Patent N. 2,160,9 99 of June6,;1939, but it willbe understood` that any other type of mechanism foroperating 'on the material may be employed; for examplefdevices forpolishing the surface of sheet metal, mechanism for leveling thematerial or punching elements for various kinds of sheet material. Inthe form of construction shown, the mechanism 2 is provided with foursets of slitting elements 6I, 6I mo'unt-A ed on upper and lwer shafts 62suitably mounted in standards and drivemby a motor 63, whereby thematerial Als slit intothree strips a; .but it will be obvious that thenumber of slits and width of the strips may be variedat will. As shown,

the slitting elements 6|' serve to trim the longitudinal edges of thevmaterial A, the resulting trimmed off edges being deflected downwardlyby suitably mounted rolls Ela, whereas the slitting elements 6|, serveto slit the intermediate portion of the material. The strips a are fedor deliveredto one of the drums |035. |0x, of the mechanism 3 forre-coiling, as later set forth.

The mechanism 3 consists of a base 4 supporting a shaft 5', on whichrotates a head 6', held in position by a cap 1'. The head 6 is providedwith diametrically arranged hollow bosses 8' in which are fixedlymounted the inner ends of shafts 9'. These parts are substantiallysimilar to like parts' of the uncoiling mechanism I. Each shaft 9rotatably supports a drum, one drum being -idesignated |03: and theother drum |032'. The head 6 is held in predetermined positions eachcorresponding to the operative position for one of the drum |0:r, I0x,by clamping -means Il' and registering means I2', each said means beingpreferably similar inconstruction to that heretofore described, likeparts of each lof said means shown in Figs. l, 6 and '1 being designatedby the same reference characters,

respectively. I

Each re-coiling drum 10x, |032', comprises the following: 64 indicates abody or hub member rotatably fitting the adjacent'shaftw9' andheldthereon by a cap 65 suitably bolted' to the outer end of the shaft.J,66 indicates a clutch element suitably fixed to the outer end of thehub member 64, axially thereof, and adapted to be engaged by anddisengaged from a clutch element 66a, which is drivingly connected to apower mechanism, indicated as an entirety at 61, later referred to. Theclutch element 66 is recessed on itsinner side to enclose the cap 65 andalso cut 12a`and a collar or enlargement on the inner end 'the axis ofthe drum, said rods 19 being guided the outer face of the disk.68 isprovided with an 5 annular-ratchet 69 adapted to be engaged by a pawl 10to-prevent rotation of the drum in the strip unoiling direction, btpermits rotation thereof in the r'e-coi'ling direction. The pawl 10isinounted on the inner end of a rod` 1| which is rotatably and slidablymounted in an opening 12 formed ina lug 12a on the adjacent. boss 8', acoil spring 13 being interposed'between the lug portionmf ,the rod 1Iand normally tendingvto project the latter into engagement with theratchet 69. One side of the rod 1| is provided with awng 14- which fitsinto4 an olf-jet recess leading from the opening 12. The wing 14 whenlying in the recess as shown in Fig. 10, prevents the -rod 1| fromrotating and insures a predetermined operative relation of'nthe pawl 10with respect to the ratchet 69; but by retracting the rod 1-l againstthe tension of the spring 13 by means of ahead 11a onits outer end andthen rotating the rod a short angular distance, the wing 14 may belengaged with the outer face of the lug 12a, whereby the pawl 10 is heldclearv of the ratchet 69 to permit rotation of the drum 10a: in eitherdirection. Such free rotation of the drum may be desirable to facilitatetying and unloading or "removing each coiled strip a from the drum. The'shell of the drum |01: consists of a stationary arcuate section 15formed integrally with the -hub member 64, arcuate side sections16valongeither side of the section 15 and pivoted thereto by related.knuckles 11 (see Fig. 8) and anintermediate movable section 18 providedwith pairs of depending rods 19 'disposed upon opposite sides of andparallel to a radius of in openings 60 formed in the hub member 64, topermit the intermediate section 18 to move radially voutwardly andinwardly. The opposite side edges of the section 18 are inclined,downwardly and outwardly (see Fig. '1) and disposed in slidinglengagement with the outer edges of the side sections 16, so that whenthe section 18 is moved outwardly, by means later referred to. itsimultaneously swings thesections 16 about the axes of the knuckles 11,whereby the drum is expanded, and when the section 18 is moved inwardly4the sections 16 are free to swing inwardly under the influence of aspring (which is connected at its opposite ends to bolts 8l carried bythe sections 16), whereby the drum is collapsed. The sections 16 and 18are so arranged that when the latter is moved outwardly to the limit ofits movement, the sections 15, 16, and 18 are substantially 'concentricto the axis of the; drum, in which position the sections are arrangedwhen recoiing of the strips a thereon takes place. By collapsing thesections as above set forth the re-coiled material may be readilyremoved. The means for moving, the drum section 18 outwardly consists ofthe following: the opposite ends of the hub member 64 below the section16 areprovided with upwardly and inwardly inclined surfaces 82 andinopposed relationfto each surface 82 the section 18 is provided with areversely 7 inclined surface 83. 84 indicates a wedge block arrangedbetween each said two related surfaces 82, 83 and having slidingengagement therewith. The wedges 84 are formed with alined threaded,

through openings, one right-hand threaded and v,

zov

4 escasas the other left-hand'threaded, adapted to receive`correspondingly threaded portions adjacent the opposite ends of a shaft85, the rotation of which in one direction serves to move the wedges 84toward each other, the effect of which is to move the sections 18, 16,outwardly and rotation of the shaft 85 in the opposite direction servesto move the wedges away from each other, whereby the section 'i8 is freeto move downwardly (which lo movement will take place normally by reasonof the inward pressure of the re-coiled material) and permit inwardmovement of the sid'e sections 16. As shown in Figs. 6 and 8, the outerend of the shaft 85 is shaped to take a suitable tool or 15 crank (notshown), whereby it may be readily rotated in either direction.

The power means 81 is shown as comprising a motor 86, the shaft of whichthrough a suitable reduction gearing 8T, drives. a shaft 88, disposed 20axially of each drum 10x when in its operative position, the shaft 88 inturn being providedl with a sleeve 89, which slides on the shaft but iskeyed thereto. The outer end of the sleeve 89 is provided with theclutch element 66a, which is arranged to engage the clutch element 86when the sleeve is moved outwardly. The sleeve 89 is provided with apair of straps in which are formed elongated openings at diametricallyopposite sides of the sleeve, these openings being arranged to receiveinwardly extending pins provided on the arms of a yoke 90, which ispreferably pivoted at its lower end on the block 92 fixed to theflooring, the upper end of the yoke being provided with a handle 93,whereby it may be 35 operated from one position to its other position.

Operation: the drums I0, I0', are collapsed and a coilof material ismounted on the drum I8, which is then expanded. The head 8 is rotated todispose the drum I0 in operative position (Fig. 1), as indicated by thedotted line 1:. The mao terial A'is then positioned and fed through theslitting elements and the free ends of the strips a bent laterally (asshown at a') and inserted in a groove or recess 94 formed in each drumwall section 'I5- of each drum I 8.1:, with spacing rings 95 betweenthem, therebyl connecting the strips a to the drum. The clutch element66a is connected to the clutch element 66 and the motor 81 started. Fig.1 shows a coil of material a portion of which has been uncoiled from the5 drum I0 and coiled on one of the drums |0x; also the positioning of aseparate coil A on the drum I0 while the material of the coil on thedrum l0 is uncoiling therefrom. When the' material on drum I0 has beencompletely uncoiled, the il head 6 is rotated to dispose the drum I0' inoperative position,the `free end of the material thereon connected toone of the drums l8r and while uncoiling takes place, a new coil ofmaterial is positioned on the drum I8. 'I'he drums 00 Im are operated inthe reverse manner, since the material is re-coiledl on each thereof andremoved. Fig. 1 shows the drum |012 loaded withl the coiled strips athereon, and ready to be removed while re-coiling takes place on thedrum lnx. Each coil of strip material, before removal, may be tied withone or more wire loops (indicated in dotted lines at a() for whichpurpose each of the drum sections 16 is formed with a 5 groove 96 topermit the wire a" tobe threaded around the coiled strip.

It will be understood that the drums for the uncoiling mechanism may besimilar in construction to that of the drums for the re-coiling mech- 10anism, yor vice versa, but in the preferred ar rangement the uncoilingdrums are shaped on their outer ends to form a .guide for the coil inpositioning it thereon, whereas the re-coiling drums are arranged toprovide for the applical5 tion of power to their outer ends; butobviously the power means forv rotating the re-coiling drums may bemounted on the head 6'; also, each head 6, 6', may be arranged tosupport four shafts each supporting a drum I0", as shown in Fig. 11. InI0 the broader aspects of my invention, the number of drums mounted onone rotatable head may be greater than the number of drums on the head.since it is not necessary for the heads to support the same number ofdrums..

To those skilled in the art of making appa ratus of the class described,many alterations in construction and widely differing embodiments andapplications of my invention will suggest themselves, without departingfrom the spirit In and scope thereof. My disclosures and the descriptionherein are purely illustrative and are Anot intended to be in any senselimiting.

What I claim is:

In apparatus of the class described, the combiu nation of a head, aplurality of shafts rigidly mounted at their inner ends on said head inangular relation, an expansible drum rotatably mounted on each of saidshafts and adapted to receive a coil of sheet material, 4said head beingrotatably mounted whereby each of said drums may be swung to apredetermined position to permit the uncoiling of the materialtherefrom, a separatev head spaced from said first mentioned head, aplurality of shafts rigidly mounted at a their inner ends on saidseparate head in angular relation, an expansible drum rotatably mountedon each of said shafts and adapted to re-coil the material thereon, saidseparate head being rotatably mounted, whereby each of said last menntioned drums thereon may be swung to a predetermined position inalinement with the rst mentioned,predetermined positioned drum,means forlocking each head in each predetermined positon; separate means betweenthe separate heady u and the inner end of each re-coiling drum forpreventing the latter from rotating in the uncoiling direction, meansbetween the first mentioned head and the inner end of each un-.coilingdrum for retarding the rotation of the lat- .o ter, and power meansarranged to be detachably connected to the outer end of each re-coilingdrum when it is in re-coiling position.

LEONARD A. YODER.

